A study on the relationship between selected oral environmental factors and the caries type in infants.

In order to clarify the relationship between selected oral environmental factors and caries type in infants, we analyzed three parameters, salivary pH, salivary buffer capacity, and Cariostat, and tested their association with caries type. As a result, we obtained a significant relationship between the caries type and salivary buffer capacity, and also between the caries type and the Cariostat. The severity of caries increased with an increase in caries activity level measured by Cariostat, while it decreased with an increase in salivary buffer capacity (p less than 0.05). The occurrence rates of severe caries types were high under the condition of both low salivary buffer capacity and high acid productivity of dental plaque.